


Heat Chapped

by soundingawkward



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Australian Setting, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-31
Updated: 2012-10-31
Packaged: 2017-11-17 10:12:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/550459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soundingawkward/pseuds/soundingawkward
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s forty-two degrees outside, and the temperature is only going to rise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heat Chapped

**Author's Note:**

> a/n - This was my week #20 entry for 1dslashweekly, and I won that week. It was quite a surprise as there were so many wonderful entries, also ones that actually had a purpose to there stories, and honestly, they were quite beautiful.
> 
> The prompt was Summer, and with me being Australian; summer is unbearable heat, sweat, blinding sun and not being unable to get out of it all. And it’s also swimming, in cold waters, and hoping that it takes longer than a minute before you’ve dried off. I’ve ignored certain facts because of artistic license.
> 
> Enjoy lovelies, and send feed back?

It’s forty-two degrees outside, and the temperature is only going to rise. The road outside is hazy, heat slowly rising off the bitumen and the trees’ leaves are visibly drooping. There’s not a cloud in sight, and the sun beat mercilessly down. The pavement is hot enough to fry an egg on and Niall’s shirt is long gone.

 

But then again, Zayn’s noticed, that Niall’s shirt seems to disappear whenever the mercury is higher than twenty-five degrees. Sometimes he wonders why the idiot moved out here if he hated the heat so much. But then again it was obviously his parents’ choice, as who in their right mind would move to a tiny hell hole in the middle of the fucking outback Australia?

 

Not one that could feel the heat, that’s for sure.

 

And Zayn can feel it now, it’s sticky and mucky – there’s a fat bead of sweat rolling down his forehead, but it would take too much effort to move to brush it away, so there it stays. Harry jostles Zayn’s legs, pushing them out of the way as he sits down on the threadbare couch. Zayn glares, but the heats sapped out his energy and it’s hard to even make a face. Liam follows him in, sitting down in the spot that Harry’s made, and the two boys clamour over each other, getting comfortable, mixing various limbs together.

 

“Toy Story?” Liam asks, he’s much too chipper for such a hot day, Zayn wants to throw something, but again, that’ll take too much energy up. And it’s not like there’s any other movie they have, not since the general store burnt down last summer, and the only way to buy new ones was in the next town, 1500kms away.

“Yes, I love that movie!” Louis yells, running in with a bowl of popcorn, managing to spill half of the buttery mess on the way in. Everyone just stares at the popcorn rolling on the floor like bright yellow tumble weeds, no one makes the effort to get up and clean, so it stays there and Niall snatches the popcorn away from Louis’ clumsy fingers.

 

The movie starts, and Liam hushes everyone, even though it’s just the beginning credits and as the old TV plays up, lines flickering across the screen, pixels jumping from interference Zayn looks over to Niall.

 

The blonde’s hair is plastered to his head, it looks a little greasy, and there’s a few drops of sweat clinging to the back of his neck. Niall’s shovelling the popcorn into his mouth, already looking bored of the movie, and sighs, leaning back onto the couch. Ignoring Harry’s pointed glare Zayn has enough energy to reach out run his fingers soothingly through Niall’s locks, and a low noise emits from the blonde’s throat, like a purr.

 

Liam’s mouthing the words, smiling like a five year old that’s given a new toy but Zayn doesn’t really care, because somehow even though Niall’s all sweaty and gross he’s still kind of beautiful.  And when Louis calls out the next line, stuffing up Liam’s little bubble of happiness and whispering, Niall’s smile captivates Zayn, and his laughter sounds through the air.  Harry’s laughing too, poking Liam teasingly and Niall looks up, towards Zayn and it takes Zayn’s breath away, blue eyes chilling him for a moment.

 

The movie’s forgotten, and Zayn focuses all his attention on the blonde in front of him.

 

 

**

It’s too hot to sleep, and Zayn rolls over, picking up his pillow to flip it to the cool side. He contemplates getting up and having a shower, as the sheets are sticking to him, but he’s not sure if he could get away with it before his parents come running in, yelling that he’s using up all the rain water.

 

There’s a tiny plinking sound, and another, and another before Zayn realises it’s pebbles bouncing off his window. Sighing, he gets up, stumbling around the room and god; it’s stuffy in here, just like a sauna. Just as Zayn opens the window, another pebble comes flying upwards, hitting him on the side of the cheek, just under his eye.

 

Raucous laughter sounds, and Zayn rolls his eyes.

 

“It’s too hot, Zaynie, come to the lake with me.” Niall’s voice floats up with the heat, dancing along the waves and Zayn thinks it’s kind of melodious. He doesn’t even bother replying, just opens the window more, and slips out, clinging tightly to the trellis. The thorns of the rose that loosely and weakly hang to the rickety trellis stab him a little, but going places with Niall’s worth it, it’s always worth it.

 

Zayn misjudges the last step and lands in a heap in the rusty red dirt, stirring it up and he coughs as he breaths it in. Niall seemingly finds it hilarious, and just laughs instead of helping. Eventually, when the giggle attack has subsided, Niall reaches out, and helps Zayn up fingers curling around each other’s.

 

As they walk, perspiration dripping down the backs of their singlets, feet burning from the still hot sand, their still joined hands swing together in the soft moonlight.

 

**

There’s a running joke in the town that Harry could take his clothes off in four seconds flat, and although it’s probably true, Niall’s really the one that’s got the stripping down to an art. There’s probably fewer than four seconds between letting go of Zayn’s hand and diving into the cold water of the lake.

 

Zayn follows, but only slowly, watching as Niall resurfaces, hair sticking to his forehead again, a few tufts splayed out crazily like he’s some kind of human cockatoo. He laughs, and the noise travels over the water, stirring it up and a dingo bays somewhere to their far right. It just causes Niall to laugh even more, and Zayn stands there like an idiot, admiring the patterns of the moonlight upon Niall’s silky throat.

 

As Zayn rids himself of his sticky singlet, and he can feel Niall’s eyes upon him, counting the tattoos, tracing the curves. It makes him shiver, and hurriedly his shorts and boxers disappear. Niall’s eyes are too intense for Zayn to stand there any longer without feeling self-conscious, and soon he joins the boy in the water. He hopes Niall knows that he doesn’t just go skinny dipping for anyone.

 

The water’s cold – absolutely freezing cold – and it knocks Zayn’s breath away. He heads towards the surface, motions slow and smooth. Carefully, just so that he doesn’t get cramps or that could be the end of him. He opens his eyes, glancing through the clear waters, and spots a pair of skinny, pale legs, reaching out and grabbing them. Niall thrashes, momentarily spooked, and Zayn lets go, bubbles spilling from his lips as he finally surfaces.

 

He’s met by a spray as Niall splashes him, glaring and Zayn splutters, laughing too. Niall looks less than pleased, and goes to splash Zayn again, but stops, head titling curiously.  Zayn looks over, a little concerned, “You okay there Nialler?”

“You’re kind of really beautiful.” Niall says straight forwardly, those blue eyes intensely watching Zayn’s facial expressions, and Zayn hardly manages to keep them under control. To Niall, he thinks, it must look like he’s having a seizure.

 

“So are you.” Zayn replies, losing his breath as Niall swims closer, treading water just in front of him, moving slowly as he’s trying not to spook a frightened horse. There’s a silent moment, eyes staring into eyes, but Niall breaks it.

“I just want to try something.” Niall says, like he’s decided that mixing chocolate and bacon for that ice-cream recipe is a good idea, and Zayn freezes, unsure what it’s all supposed to mean.

 

Niall’s lips are chapped, but then again, Zayn supposes his are too, the heat’s been drying them out.


End file.
